For decades, the idea of a machine creating art felt like science fiction — a quirky thought experiment reserved for futurists and philosophers. Today, it’s simply reality. Artificial intelligence isn’t just assisting artists; it’s participating in the creative process in ways that challenge our assumptions about what art is, who gets to make it, and how we define originality.

And whether we embrace it or resist it, AI has already earned a seat at the creative table.

The Shift: From Tool to Collaborator

Most new technologies start as tools. Cameras didn’t replace painters, but they changed what painting meant. Synthesizers didn’t eliminate musicians, but they expanded what music could be. AI is following the same trajectory — but faster.

What makes AI different is its ability to move from passive tool to active collaborator. It can:

• Generate visual concepts from scratch
• Compose music in specific styles
• Write poetry, scripts, and narratives
• Remix ideas across cultures, mediums, and eras
• Iterate at speeds no human could match

This doesn’t diminish human creativity. It amplifies it. Artists who embrace AI often describe it as working with a partner who never gets tired, never runs out of ideas, and constantly surprises them.

But Is AI Really an Artist?

This is the question that sparks the most debate.

Some argue that art requires human intention — emotion, memory, lived experience. Others counter that art is defined by the audience, not the creator. If a piece moves you, does it matter whether it came from a human hand or a neural network?

AI doesn’t feel joy, grief, or nostalgia. But it can reflect those emotions back to us through patterns learned from millions of human creations. In that sense, AI becomes a mirror — one that refracts our collective imagination into something new.

Maybe the better question isn’t “Can AI be an artist?” but “Why are we so invested in saying it can’t?”

AI Art Is Not About Replacing Humans — It’s About Expanding What’s Possible

The fear that AI will replace artists is understandable, but it misses the bigger picture. Every major artistic revolution has been met with skepticism:

• Photography was “not real art”
• Digital painting was “cheating”
• Auto‑tune was “ruining music”
• Sampling was “stealing”

Today, all of these are accepted — even celebrated — as legitimate forms of artistic expression.

AI is simply the next evolution. It opens doors for people who never considered themselves “artistic” in the traditional sense. It democratizes creativity. It lowers the barrier between imagination and execution.

And for seasoned artists, it becomes a force multiplier.

The Human Element Isn’t Going Anywhere

Even the most advanced AI models don’t create in a vacuum. They respond to prompts, direction, curation, and taste. The human role shifts from “maker” to “director,” from “craftsperson” to “vision architect.”

The artistry is in:

• Choosing the right prompts
• Curating the best outputs
• Editing and refining
• Combining AI results with human technique
• Bringing meaning and context to the final piece

AI can generate infinite possibilities. Humans decide which ones matter.

A New Era of Creativity

We’re living in a moment where the definition of art is expanding in real time. AI isn’t replacing creativity — it’s reshaping it. It’s giving us new mediums, new workflows, and new ways to express ideas that were previously impossible.

Whether you’re a painter, photographer, writer, musician, or someone who just loves to create, AI is not the end of art. It’s the beginning of a new chapter.

And like every artistic revolution before it, the people who lean in will shape what comes next.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a novelty—it’s a daily productivity partner. Whether you’re using an AI assistant for writing, analysis, coding, research, or ideation, one truth remains constant:

It doesn’t matter which AI platform you use. What does matter is how clearly and intentionally you communicate your request. A well-structured prompt can turn AI into a powerful collaborator. A vague one can lead to generic, incomplete, or misleading outputs.

Let’s explore why AI prompts are so important and how to structure them effectively.

Why AI Prompts Matter

AI systems don’t “think” the way humans do. They don’t infer intent, context, or priorities unless you provide them. Instead, they respond based on patterns in the input they receive.

A prompt serves as:

• Your instructions
• Your context
• Your expectations

When prompts are unclear, AI fills in the gaps—sometimes correctly, sometimes not. When prompts are precise, AI delivers responses that are more relevant, actionable, and aligned with your goals.

In short:

AI doesn’t fail—prompts do.

The Core Elements of a Strong AI Prompt

A good prompt isn’t long—it’s intentional. The most effective prompts usually include five key components.

1. Clear Objective

Start by stating exactly what you want.

Instead of:

“Tell me about AI.”

Try:

“Explain the business benefits of using AI for customer support.”

Be explicit about the outcome you’re looking for: explanation, summary, comparison, recommendation, draft, analysis, etc.

2. Context

Provide background information the AI wouldn’t otherwise know.

Context can include:

• Audience (executives, beginners, technical users)
• Industry or domain
• Use case or scenario
• Prior assumptions or constraints

Example:

“This explanation is for non-technical business leaders in the healthcare industry.”

The more relevant context you give, the less guessing the AI has to do.

3. Role or Perspective

Assigning a role helps shape tone, depth, and framing.

Examples:

• “Act as a technical architect…”
• “Respond as a marketing strategist…”
• “Explain this as a teacher would to a beginner…”

This guides how the response is structured and how complex the language should be.

4. Output Format

Tell the AI how you want the answer delivered.

You might specify:

• Bullet points vs. paragraphs
• Length (short summary, detailed explanation)
• Tables, steps, or examples
• Tone (professional, conversational, persuasive)

Example:

“Provide a concise, bullet-point list with real-world examples.”

This avoids rework and makes outputs immediately usable.

5. Constraints and Quality Checks

Set boundaries to refine the response.

Constraints might include:

• “Do not use technical jargon”
• “Limit to 500 words”
• “Avoid mentioning specific vendors”
• “Include pros and cons”

You can also ask the AI to validate its work:

“If assumptions are required, clearly state them.”

A Simple Prompt Structure You Can Reuse

Here’s a reusable framework that works across AI platforms:

Objective: What you want
Context: Background and audience
Role: Who the AI should act as
Format: How the output should look
Constraints: Rules or limits

Example Prompt

“Create a blog post explaining the importance of AI prompts.
The audience is business professionals with limited AI experience.
Act as a technology strategist and educator.
Use clear headings and practical examples.
Keep it under 1,000 words and avoid referencing specific AI tools.”

Prompting Is a Skill—Not a Trick

Effective prompting isn’t about secret phrases or magic keywords. It’s about:

• Clear thinking
• Structured communication
• Iteration and refinement

As AI becomes more embedded in everyday workflows, prompt literacy will be as important as writing an email or building a slide deck.

Those who learn how to ask better questions won’t just get better AI outputs—they’ll make better decisions, faster.

Final Thought

AI is a force multiplier, not a mind reader.

If you want better results from any AI system, don’t start by switching tools. Start by improving your prompts.

Because when you prompt with clarity, structure, and intent—AI delivers.

Artists and creatives often struggle to make their work visible to a wider audience. In the digital age, this means optimizing their online presence and ensuring that their work appears high in search engine rankings. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a powerful tool that can help artists reach more people and promote their work to a wider audience. Creating an effective SEO strategy for your artist website can seem like a daunting task.

However, with the right guidance and understanding, you can easily optimize your site to drive more traffic, increase visibility, and ultimately help you reach your goals. Today we will cover the basics of artist SEO optimization and explore some tips and strategies for optimizing your online presence as an artist to help you get started.

First, it’s important to understand how search engine algorithms work. Search engines use algorithmics to scan websites and rank them according to a variety of factors, such as relevance, quality, and user experience in order to give searchers the most relevant, useful, and up-to-date content.

When it comes to artist SEO, optimizing your site for the right keywords, using metadata, and creating quality content can all help you improve your ranking.  Use keywords that focus on your artist’s genre, style, and craft. Use keywords that are specific to your content and do not use generic phrases, as they are not as effective. Additionally, make sure to include your artist’s name in the keywords to make sure you appear in search results.

Also important for SEO is the proper use of Metadata, the information that allows search engines to understand what your website is about. This includes descriptions, titles, and tags, which provide information about the content of your website. Including the right metadata can help search engines understand your content and rank it higher in search results.

Finally, posting quality content is essential for artist search engine optimization. Quality content is informative, engaging, and relevant to your audience. You should also be regularly updating your content to ensure that search engines view your website as up-to-date and relevant. Additionally, make sure to link to other relevant websites and blogs to increase the visibility of your content.

By following these tips, you can easily optimize your artist website for SEO. With the right approach, you can get more traffic and reach more potential fans. Good luck!

What is Instagram?

Instagram is a social media platform that allows users to share photos, videos, and messages with other users. It is a great way to stay connected with friends, family, and people around the world. You can also use it to discover new accounts and share your life with others.

How can artists use IG to grow their business?

Artists can use Instagram to grow their business creating a strong online presence and building a community around their work in several ways.

First, they can use the platform to create engaging content to promote their work. This can be done by regularly posting high-quality images of their work, engaging with followers through comments and direct messages, and using hashtags and Instagram stories to reach a wider audience. This could include showcasing their techniques, sharing behind-the-scenes images, providing tutorials, or giving insights into their creative processes.

They can use hashtags (see Hashtags – What are they? and Instagram and #Hashtags for more information) to reach a larger audience and engage with potential customers. They can also use Instagram’s “Stories” feature to show off their artwork, showcase collaborations, and offer discounts.

Collaborating with other artists, influencers, and brands on Instagram can also help to expand an artist’s reach and audience. Additionally, artists can use Instagram’s shopping feature to link directly to their online shop and make it easy for customers to purchase their work.

Finally, artists can use Instagram to create relationships with other creatives (future collaborations!), influencers, and fans by responding to comments, sharing user-generated content, and running contests and giveaways. With a bit of creativity and perseverance, Instagram can be a great tool to help artists grow their business.

A few best practices for using Instagram:

Here are a few best practices for using Instagram:

1. Use high-quality images and videos: Make sure your content looks professional and is of high quality. This will make it more likely to be shared and attract more followers. Newer phones have great cameras, and for social media posting work just great for taking pictures and videos.
2. Use hashtags: Use relevant hashtags to make your posts more discoverable to users who are searching for content related to those hashtags. Again, see Hashtags – What are they? and Instagram and #Hashtags for more information (if you didn’t already).
3. Engage with other users: Respond to comments and messages, and actively engage with other users by liking and commenting on their posts. If another user, other creator, influencer, or brand peaks your interests follow them back and post comments on their posts and stories.
4. Post consistently: Consistently post high-quality content to keep your followers engaged and attract new ones. Schedule your posts as not to overwhelm your followers, but also post often enough to keep their interests peaked.
5. Use Instagram Stories and IGTV: These features allow you to share more personal, behind-the-scenes content and increase engagement with your followers. This leads to #9 below – “Be Authentic”,
6. Collaboration with influencers: Collaborating with influencers in your niche can help you reach a larger audience and increase your credibility. Reach out to other influencers through IG messages, or through posted contact information and start a dialog with them. Learn if they are a good fit for your niche and if you are a good fit for their niche. Once determined that you each are a good fit, then start discussing collaborations.
7. Utilize Instagram’s features: Instagram is constantly updating with new features, such as Instagram Reels, IGTV, and IG Shopping. Utilizing these features can help you stand out from competitors and increase engagement.
8. Be Authentic: Be yourself and let your personality shine through in your posts. Your followers will appreciate the authenticity.

There is a school of thought that believes people are either left-brained or right-brained, meaning that one side of their brain is dominant. If you’re mostly analytical and methodical in your thinking, and technology comes easily, the theory says that you’re left-brained. If you tend to be more creative or artistic, you’re right-brained.

The left brain is more verbal, analytical, and orderly than the right brain. It’s sometimes called the digital brain. It’s better at things like reading, writing, and computations.

The right brain is more visual and intuitive. People sometimes refer to it as the analog brain. It has a more creative and less organized way of thinking.

Since many artists are right-brained, and the digital age is left-brained, some major mistakes can be made while using technology for their businesses by artists.

Here are the top 7 (with sub-bullets) mistakes artists make in technology:

1. Not staying up to date on new technologies: It’s important for artists to stay on top of new technologies and trends, as they can greatly impact their work and the way they create it, store it, and sell it. Failing to do so can result in missing out on opportunities and potentially falling behind in the industry.
2. Not taking the time to learn new software – Technology can be overwhelming when you don’t have the proper knowledge, so it’s important for artists to take the time to learn new software and tools.
3. Ignoring the importance of online presence: In today’s digital age, having an online presence is crucial for artists. Failing to maintain a strong online presence can result in missed opportunities and a lack of visibility.
   • Not properly using social media: Social media can be a powerful tool for artists to promote their work and connect with their audience, but it’s important to use it effectively. Failing to properly use social media can result in a lack of engagement and missed opportunities.
   • Poorly designed websites – A poorly designed website can leave a bad impression on potential fans, so artists should take the time to learn the basics of web design or hire a professional to create a website that looks great.
4. Neglecting to protect their digital assets: With the proliferation of online platforms and social media, it’s important for artists to take steps to protect their digital assets and ensure that their work is not stolen or used without permission.
   • Not properly using copyright laws: It’s essential for artists to understand copyright laws and how they can protect their work from being used without permission. Failing to do so can result in lost revenue and potential legal issues.
5. Not diversifying – Technology can be a great way to diversify your portfolio and reach new fans, so artists should look for opportunities to experiment with new mediums.
6. Not using technology to help with workflow – Technology can help streamline workflows and make the creative process easier, so artists should look for ways to incorporate technology into their workflow.
7. Overloading on technology: While technology can be a great asset, it’s important for artists to not get overwhelmed and overuse it. It’s important to take breaks and give yourself time to focus on other things, such as traditional techniques or exploring different mediums.

A common question pertaining to social media is, what are hashtags? Hashtags have become the latest part of any twitter post, Facebook post, or Instagram post. These tags were originally part of twitter so that it could gain a unique type of attention compared to Facebook. The # symbol is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet. It was originally created by twitter to help categorize Tweets and within a matter of a year the symbol was everywhere, and is added to Facebook posts like candy.

Hashtags are used to categorize and organize content on social media platforms. They are usually used to mark keywords or phrases in a tweet, post, or comment, and can be added anywhere in the text by preceding them with the # symbol. When a user clicks on a hashtag, they are typically taken to a page that displays all the content that has been tagged with that particular hashtag. This allows users to find and follow conversations, events, or topics that they are interested in.

Hashtags are often used to:

• Connect with others who are interested in the same topics, events, or causes. For example, if you are attending a conference and want to share your thoughts and experiences with others who are also attending, you might use the conference’s official hashtag.
• Promote events, products, or campaigns. Many businesses and organizations use hashtags to get their content in front of a wider audience. For example, if you are launching a new product, you might create a unique hashtag for it and encourage your followers to use it when sharing content about the product.
• Participate in online challenges or memes. Hashtags are often used to organize and participate in online challenges, such as the #IceBucketChallenge or #10YearChallenge. They are also used to share and participate in memes, which are often characterized by humorous or absurd content that is shared and reinterpreted by users on social media platforms.

Hashtags can be used on a variety of social media platforms, including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. They are an important tool for connecting with others and promoting content online.

For those people that were leery of Facebook and then became even more skeptical about their privacy as Mark Z sat in front of congress, there were a few other social media platforms available. Google+ attempted to take over the FB Fear Frenzy, but failed in multiple ways, including a data breach that was not reported, and user numbers that would not reach the expected.

The giant is finally closing Google+, the social network it set up in an ill-fated attempt to take on Facebook, the company has confirmed. Google+ will be shut down for good on April 2, 2019 with all profiles and pages to be deleted on that day.

The announcement has caused confusion among some Google users; the company made it easy for people to create a Google+ page by accident, leaving many unaware they had joined the social network in the first place. Below are some questions and answers that might be useful for you:

What is being deleted?

Any Google+ pages you created, as well as photos and videos stored in your Google+ album archive. The deletion does not affect other Google services. Photos and videos stored in Google Photos, for instance, will not be affected. Your Google account, which is linked to services such as Gmail, YouTube and Maps, will continue to work, but your Google+ account, which was only used for the social network, will be deleted.

How can I tell if I have a Google+ account?

Google should have emailed you telling you that “your personal Google+ account is going away on 2 April 2019”.

If you are still unsure, you can check at plus.google.com. When you log in using your Google account details and still have a button on the left side of the screen that says “Join Google+”, then you are not a member of the social network and nothing will be deleted.

Why is Google doing this?

The company’s official explanation is that it decided to shutter the site “due to low usage and challenges involved in maintaining a successful product that meets consumers’ expectations”. Those “challenges” probably include a data leak in the social network that it discovered in March 2018 but did not disclose 6 months.

That leak “potentially affected up to 500,000 accounts”, allowing third-party applications to access information marked as private, although Google said it had found “no evidence that any profile data was misused”.

I don’t care about Google+. What do I need to do?

Nothing. If you have a Google+ account but have never used it – which is easy, because for many years Google all but forced users to create an account to access common functions such as the ability to comment on YouTube videos – then you can sit back and let it be deleted in two months’ time.

I use Google+. How can I save my uploaded content?

First, I don’t believe you. Second, Google has a page you can visit to download all your data from Google+. Other social media platforms allow for import of your Google+ download; visit those sites for more information.

Replacing Google+

So now that you have your Google+ download, where can you move your data to? There are a number of Social Media platforms besides Facebook. My next article will be discussing the top Social Media platforms for you!

Here we are!!  It’s the new year and it’s time to start taking your art business to the next level!!  Part of the way to market your business is through social media, and today I will be discussing Instagram and ways for you to grow your followers.  Many artists are on Instagram, and some are very prosperous there…..so how do you make your mark on this platform?

Whether it’s pleasure or business that has brought you to Instagram, everyone wants (needs?) more followers; it’s not just vanity, it’s sound business. Instagram has become one of the most popular social media platforms, I’ve seen articles where they are saying there are over a billion active monthly users, so that makes it great for networking, building a following, sharing content, and growing your business presence.

Are you stuck at a couple hundred followers, can’t figure out how to grow your audience, or your audience is growing to slow? Well then, you’ve come to the right place…. I’ve got you!!

Here are some basics to start with before you can start to grow your following:

Separate Your Business from Your Personal Account: 

When someone visits your Instagram profile, they will decide in seconds whether or not to follow your business. They make that decision by quickly scrolling through your feed, reading your bio, or clicking on your stories highlights.  It’s hard to gain a large following if your page doesn’t have a clear direction. We all follow people who post pics of their kids, then post ads for their business or something to sell, then the obligatory selfies, then a million pics of their dogs, and let’s not forget about what they had for lunch!! So who exactly is supposed to follow them? Fans of dogs or their kids? Foodies? People who are interested in their business? This is probably the most important thing to figure out – what are you trying to promote? Stick to that. You must have a separate account for your family and friends.

Pick A Good Username And Profile Picture:

It only makes sense to usethe same handle across all social channels. This makes it easy for people to find and follow you. It makes no sense to be “Sandra Lett, Artist” on one social media, and then be “Acrylic Arts by Sandra” on another.  Use the same handle for Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook. Make sure your picture reflects the theme of your account; if your account is about acrylic art, then use a picture of yourself with acrylic art.

Completely Fill Out Your Bio: 

People need to know what your account is about. For example: “I’m an acrylic pour artist! Expect lots of pics of different types of pours!!” Also, us the website link to push people to your blog, store, etc. Instagram only gives you one link to promote, so take advantage of it! It’s a great place to share content.

Now that you understand building the profile, your bio is looking awesomely, and your theme is on point, let’s discuss how to get the follower’s you want (or need!).

Like Photos From Other Artist: 

A quick way to get followers is to start liking other’s photos. Start with photos that are related to your posts. Since you are an artist, search for #acrylic, #art, #pourpainting, etc and start liking the results.  Once you start liking other people’s photos, a lot of people will start following you back.  Like I discussed in earlier articles, the “I’ll follow you if you follow me” concept only works when it is properly utilized.  There is no need to follow a car guy if you are a canvas painter….the 2 groups do not intermingle.  Searching for the most popular tags and start liking photos is another way to quickly get followers.  There are a ton of apps that will show you the most popular tags on any given day. I have read multiple articles on growing Instagram followers, and many have stated that in order to grow Instagram followers, they just began by liking as many pictures as possible; It may  seem cheesy, but many examples show it works.

Comment On Other’s Pictures: 

This is very time consuming, but it’s effective. Try to comment on as many pictures as you can. The less comments on a picture, the better odds that you’ll get followed. Say something nice and encouraging about the picture, “I really love what you’re doing on here! Keep it up.” A kind word goes a long way.

Start Following People: 

Instagram does a good job of making it easy to connect with people that you already know. Use the “Find People To Follow” feature. This will import friends from Facebook and your contacts to follow. Also, go to the “Explore” section and start following some of the suggested accounts. About 1/3 of the people you follow, will follow you back. The goal is to have more people following you, than you follow, so don’t go crazy.

Add Short Video Clips As Well As Pictures:

Many of the users that have massive followings use short videos as well as pictures. Instagram allows for clips up to 30 seconds. If you are presenting a new piece of work, do a quick video scan of your piece and post it. Use pictures to support your new piece by adding it in the comments!!

Look at you!!!  You’re starting to build your Instagram following! Now you’ve got to continue posting pictures. Here are a few tips for posting great looking photos.

Lighting:

If you can, use natural light whenever possible. It’s best to take pictures early in the morning and before the sun sets in the evening.

Background: 

Busy backgrounds will take the focus away from the subject, keep a simple and clean background.

Filters: 

With the number of filters that Instagram offers, it’s easy to get carried away. Some posters run their pictures through so many filters that it’s unrecognizable when they’re finished. Use a couple of the same filters on your pictures to give your page a consistent look.

Add Captions: 

Believe it or not, many people do not take advantage of this feature.  Take some time choosing the right verbiage before you post; it’s just as important as the picture.  Keep it short, you’re not writing a novel.  Asking a question is another great way to get engagement and people to comment.  However, don’t ask for validation of your picture, this turns people off and pushes away followers.

Post Regularly And At The Right Time: 

Take into consideration that there’s a fine line between posting too much and not enough. If you don’t post often, there’s really no need for people to follow you. If you post too much, you’ll clog up people’s feed and they’ll unfollow you. Opinions vary, but posting 1-3 photos is enough to keep your audience satisfied.  Also make sure that you post at the right time of day. Posting at midnight probably won’t reach as many people as you’d like. Post when people are most likely to be checking their Instagram: Morning, lunch and after work.

Now that you have a good profile, grown your followers some, and you’re regularly posting great content, let’s look at tagging.  I covered tagging in previous articles, so I will not cover them here…..you should go back and read them to understand the importance of tagging!!

http://greg.trumpfheller.us/2018/10/27/instagram-hashtags-finding-using/

#Hashtagging has become the most popular method for categorizing posts, media, and videos on social media platforms.  All it takes to turn a word or phrase into a clickable, searchable #hashtag is to attach the number sign (#)without any spaces. #Hashtags allow us to: Categorize information according to topic or theme; Follow and track trending topics; and make our posts discoverable to other users through search.

This is my 4^th article
in a chain of articles concerning using #hashtags, using them for marketing
strategies, how to use them, and some suggestions for using them on social
media platforms.  The first (Social Media – Hashtags – http://greg.trumpfheller.us/2018/10/21/social-media-hashtags/ )
introduced #hashtags and covered the basics.  The second article (Facebook
and #Hashtags  – http://greg.trumpfheller.us/2018/10/24/facebook-and-hashtags/)
covered the use of #hashtags on the Facebook social media platform.  The
third article (Instagram and #Hashtags – http://greg.trumpfheller.us/2018/10/27/instagram-hashtags-finding-using/)
covered using #hashtags on Instagram. 

This article covers
the use of #hashtags on Tumblr, and I will discuss some of the differences that
Tumblr has versus other social media platforms, as well as provide some
guidance on using them on Tumblr.  Using hashtags on Tumblr is a great way
to get discovered by new users who are looking for more blogs to follow, and
also a great way to get more like and reblogs.  People often search
keywords and hashtags using Tumblr’s internal search, so if you use hashtags
properly, your Tumblr posts should show up in there.  If you’re looking to
increase your Tumblr following, get more likes, have more people reblog your
stuff and just get your blog out there, then you should be tagging your posts
with the tags that lots of people are looking at.  If you are serious
about improving your social media presence, you cannot ignore Tumblr, a social
network dominated by images.

Tumblr #Hashtags Allow Spaces!

Tumblr is different
than other social media platforms because it calls #hashtags “tags.” You can
add tags to your Tumblr post by just entering keywords into the “tags” area
near the bottom of the post creation screen. Tumblr will convert them into
hashtags, and add the hashtag symbol for you. The best thing about Tumblr’s
#hashtags is that they can have a space between words. So a hashtag like
“#Sandra Lett Artist” will work on Tumblr. Any other site would see that
hashtag only as “#SandraLettArtist”.  You can also have apostrophes,
commas, dots, and many other symbols in your Tumblr hashtags.

You Must use the #Hashtag Section

Unlike other social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Tumblr has a specific section for you to add hashtags.  The other social media platforms allow you to add #hashtags into the post content.  You should see it marked by the little tag icon at the bottom any time you are in the process of getting ready to publish a new post.  #Hashtags added in your post content will not turn up as clickable links. You must use the specific tag section. You can tell that a post has hashtags added to it by viewing it on your Tumblr Dashboard and looking for the tags listed at the bottom of the post.

Discover Popular #Hashtags to Increase Post Exposure

Any hashtag search
will bring up users who recently used those hashtags, and is a good starting
point to learn which #hashtags are best to boost your presence.  Use the
Tumblr search page to see a list of currently trending search terms and tags;
visit the leaders of your trade to determine what #hashtags they are using, and
determine if you desire to use them as well.  Remember, you might not want
to align yourself with some competitors! 

Use Generic and Broad Tag Words to Gain Followers on Tumblr

Like most social
platforms, followers that you have no real-life connection to tend to find you
via the appropriate tags.  When using simple tags like “Family”,
“Outdoors”, or “Art”, you can be assured that your media posts are grouped
under a much bigger pool, so they have a wider audience and much better chances
of capturing attention.  Tumblr will even suggest you the most popular
tags as you type.  Keep your tags broad, so that the biggest number of
people can find them, but not too broad that they’re lost in a sea of other
posts.

#Do #Not #Tag #Every #Word

Tagging everything
is a definite no-no that you want to avoid.  Your content should be able
to stand on its own without needing an extravagant number of tags to get
exposure.  Remember, in the Tumblr game, reblogs are the key to building
notoriety, so content is the key.  Think of tags as just an extension of
your content.

Quality, not quantity

Even though I have
discussed using tags in Tumblr to get as many reblogs as possible, you still
want to ensure that your posts have the quality and consistency that is
synonymous with your brand.   You want to provide varied content that
falls in line with your brand.  Ensure you proofread your posts for
misspellings and grammatical errors, ensure hyperlinks lead to where you want
them to, and make sure images load properly.  Make sure you’re posting a
variety of content types, for example text, photos, quotes, links, audio, and
video whenever possible. While text does well, studies show that people seem to
share and engage more with multimedia content.

The main idea of
posts on Tumblr is reblogs; that is what you are after.  More reblogs in
turn, lead to more followers.

This is the third in a chain of articles on using #hashtags for social media platforms.  The first one “Social Media – Hashtags” covered the basic idea of hashtags, some history,and a little usage in the overarching scheme of social media.  The second article “Facebook and #Hashtags”covered the use within the Facebook social media platform.  This article will cover Instagram and the use of #hashtags within that specific social media platform.

As stated in the previous articles, #hashtags are a very useful marketing tool to add to posts, media, pictures, and videos.  Each of the social media platforms use #hashtags for basically the same thing, but each one also varies in how the algorithm views and searches them.  The algorithms are kept close hold by each platform.

In Instagram, including the right #hashtags on your posts will ensure a higher engagement with people than you would if you didn’t have any.  Why?   #Hashtags are a combination of letters and numbers, preceded by the # symbol (e.g. #AcrylicPainting, #InstagramHashtags) which categorize content and make it more discoverable. Anyone who clicks on a hashtag or searches for it will see a page with all the posts tagged with it.

Where your post appears on this page depends on how often it is used, how popular your post is, when you shared it, and the strength of your audience. The higher your post appears the easier it will be more discoverable by people who don’t follow you.

People Can Follow #Hashtags

On Instagram, people can follow #Hashtags.  This means that your post can show up on a person’s feed even if they do not follow you.  If the content you are showing, sharing, and tagging with relevant #hashtags, many of them might start to follow you.

Using The Same #Hashtags Over And Over Is Not a Good Idea!

If a user is following a certain #hashtag and sees something they do not like, there is an option they can select not to show for that certain #hashtag.   This feature is designed for the Instagram algorithm to learn what content a particular user likes or dislikes.  So if too many of your posts are flagged for do not show, it’s reasonable to assume your content will be shown less and less.  As for the using the same long list of #hashtags on every post, it is advisable not to do it. Instagram’s community guidelines clearly state that “posting repetitive comments or content” is not okay.

When creating a post, only use #hashtags that make sense. If you tag a post with #SandraLett, for example, your content must be something people will want to comment on, like, and share about Sandra Lett and her art.  The idea is quality over quantity….not about getting seen by a lot of people, it’s about getting seen by the right people. That’s how #hashtags lead to higher engagement and more followers.

Check Out Your “Competition”

By looking at other posts that are relevant to yours, you can discover new #hashtags to add to your repertoire.  Or going in the other direction, you could decide you don’t want to compete against them, in which case you can search for alternative #hashtags to use.

Use #Hashtags That Influential People in Your Trade are Using

Why reinvent the wheel?  If these people are already well-established with an audience that you are trying to get noticed in, why not use the same as they are??  Learn from the people that have already done the work!!

Use Instagram’s Search

Type a keyword that’s relevant to your brand into Instagram’s search bar and then select the Tags tab. Instagram will give you a list of all the #hashtags with that keyword, as well as a number of posts that are tagged with it.

A large number may mean lots of people following that #hashtag, but it also means there’s a ton of content on it and your posts might get lost. Experiment with a combination of popular and niche #hashtags to find your brand’s sweet spot.

Use Your Own Most Successful Posts for Trend Analysis

Look through your own posts the have a successful #hashtag.  Do you see a trend of related #hashtags that could be included in future posts?

When it comes to choosing Instagram hashtags, the golden rule is: use only hashtags that are relevant to your brand, industry, and audience.

#Love is one of the most popular hashtags on Instagram, tagged in over 1.3 billion posts. But your company is not going to attract those hashtag followers if you attach it to a photo of your boring boardroom.

Again, if you tag your photos with popular, but unrelated hashtags, you might be flagged as a spammer.

Instagram #Hashtag Best Practices

So what does all this mean to you, the “Instagramer”?  After all the above information, I have broken them down to some short, succinct best practices:

Don’t Use Irrelevant #Hashtags

Using irrelevant #hashtags in posts is behavior that can be labeled spam. It is annoying to people who follow those #hashtags and they will likely tell Instagram to “Don’t Show for this Hashtag.”  #Hashtags must be used strategically.  You will only increase engagement if you give the audience what they’re looking for, i.e., quality content that speaks to their interests.

Determine The Right Number of #Hashtags to Use

According to an analysis by TrackMaven, posts with nine hashtags receive the most engagement. But that doesn’t mean you should tag every post with nine hashtags, keep them must be relevant to the content.  The content of your posts must inform what and how many hashtags you use.

Use Specific #Hashtags

The more specific the hashtag, the more targeted your audience will be, and a targeted audience means a higher chance of quality engagement (Quality over Quantity).  Using a popular hashtag like “#followmeback” might get you a few new followers, but they’ll likely be the wrong kind—spammers or people looking to inflate their own follower count. These people will not engage with your brand.

Use Popular #Hashtag Sparingly

As long as #hashtags are relevant to the post and used sparingly, popular hashtags can help expand your reach without making you seem desperate or spammy.  The main part of using #hashtags in any social media platform is the marketing aspect of your brand….and who you are trying to reach.  If a popular #hashtag will reach those people, then feel free to use them, but do not overdo it and be labeled as a spammer.

Add a #Hashtags to Posts You’ve Already Published

You can add #hashtags to posts that you have already uploaded by tapping the three dots in the top right corner of your screen and select Edit to add to the caption.  You can also add hashtags post-publishing by tapping the speech bubble under the photo and typing the hashtags in as a comment.

Use #Hashtags in Comments on YOUR Posts

You can add #hashtags to your posts in the comments.  You cannot add a #hashtag to someone else’s post and have it work the same. To keep from cluttering your content, you can add #hashtags in the comments, and keep the reader focused on your compelling caption and content. 

This is easily done:
– Upload your content as usual but leave out the #hashtags in the caption box.
– Once your post is published, simply click the speech bubble icon under your post to leave a comment.
– Now write out or paste the #hashtags you want to include in the “Add a comment…”box and tap Post.
– Once your photo or video gets more comments, your #hashtags won’t be visible unless a user taps the “View all comments” button

Key Takeaway 

What is your key takeaway??  Be thoughtful about your #hashtags, which #hashtags you use, and how often you use them. Like any type of content you share on social media, it’s all about the audience. What are you offering? What’s in it for them? Why will they be compelled to engage with your post? If you don’t have an answer, don’t share….don’t #hashtag!